One of Japan's most iconic hot spring towns has become a canvas for contemporary art with the Mika Ninagawa with EiM × Dogo Onsen DOGO ART event. Running from October 10th, 2025 through February 28th, 2027, this long-term project spreads bold color and light across the historic Dogo Onsen area.
Led by internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Mika Ninagawa and her creative team EiM, the project celebrates both the reopening and the cultural legacy of the Dogo Onsen Main Building. Visitors will encounter large-scale installations featuring Ninagawa's signature imagery, including flowers, goldfish, and vivid seasonal motifs integrated into the bathhouse facade, entrances, shopping arcade, and nearby streets.
Illuminated artworks appear throughout the evening, changing the atmosphere of Dogo after dark while respecting the area's historic architecture. From lantern gates near Dogo Onsen Station to decorative noren curtains at Tsubaki no Yu, the experience unfolds naturally as visitors explore the town.
For inbound travelers, this project offers a rare fusion of traditional onsen culture and cutting-edge Japanese art, making Dogo Onsen a destination not just for bathing, but for immersive nighttime sightseeing as well.
